During Valentine’s Day week, the New Hampshire Legislature will hold seven public hearings on bills that would impact abortion rights. Without the constitutional protections provided by Roe v. Wade, the future of abortion access is in the hands of state politicians. New Hampshire is the only state in New England without proactive protections for the right to abortion and we need Granite Staters who love reproductive rights to step up now and take action to change that.
Visibility Events:
- Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 8 am at the State House to support proactive legislation to protect abortion rights in New Hampshire. RSVP here.
- Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 8 am at the State House to oppose harmful legislation that would further restrict abortion rights in New Hampshire. RSVP here.
The Proactive Bills Being Heard on 2/15/23 that PPNHAF SUPPORTS:
- HB 88 - the Access to Abortion-care Act:
- This bill proactively places the right to have an abortion into state law, providing a layer of protection and critical assurances to Granite State patients and families that they can work with the providers to get the care they need in the majority of situations.
- This bill does not change any current New Hampshire abortion laws.
- HB 271 - to repeal NH’s current abortion ban in its entirety:
- This bill would repeal New Hampshire’s 24-week abortion ban, which went into effect on January 1, 2022.
- Arbitrarily banning abortion later in pregnancy and criminalizing doctors harms women and families who have to make decisions in complex circumstances.
- HB 224 - to repeal the criminal and civil penalties from NH’s current 24-week abortion ban:
- Presently, New Hampshire’s 24-week abortion ban criminalizes doctors for doing their job and working with patients to get the care they need by threatening providers with a felony and imprisonment.
- CACR 2 - adding reproductive rights to NH’s state constitution:
- This constitutional amendment would ensure that all persons have the right to make their own reproductive decisions and guarantee Granite Staters’ right to abortion, birth control, and sterilization care.
The Negative Bills Being Heard on 2/16/23 that PPNHAF OPPOSES:
- HB 346 - would restrict options for family grieving and neonatal comfort care:
- This bill is NOT about abortion. Passage of this bill could dictate how parents get to spend the last few hours or days with their newborns before they pass.
- This bill restricts and dictates the standard of care in very complicated circumstances surrounding preterm labor and fatal fetal diagnoses; it interferes with doctors’ ability to provide the most appropriate care for the family - and it does so under the threat of criminal penalties.
- HB 562 - to mandate a 24-hour waiting period for all abortion care:
- This bill requires a 24-hour waiting period for all patients seeking an abortion in New Hampshire and would require the provision of misinformation regarding medication abortion to patients.
- This bill places unnecessary hurdles to accessing abortion and attempts to shame patients seeking an abortion by making assumptions about their decision making capabilities.
- HB 591 - a near total abortion ban:
- This extreme legislation bans abortion around 6 weeks, with virtually no exceptions. For those with regular menstruation cycles, this bill would stop access to safe, legal abortion only two weeks after a missed period.
- This bill would take away a person’s ability to make their own medical decisions before they even know they have a decision to make.
Action Steps:
- Sign in to SUPPORT proactive legislation that would protect and expand abortion rights:
- Click here → House Sign In Submission
- Fill in personal information
- Select Date of the Hearing: February 15
- Select the Committee: House Judiciary
- Choose the Bill: HB 88
- I am: A Member of the Public
- I’m Representing: Myself
- Indicate Your Position on this Bill: I SUPPORT this bill
- Click Submit
- Repeat these steps for CACR 2, HB 271, and HB 224
- Sign in to OPPOSE harmful legislation that would further restrict abortion rights:
- Click here → House Sign In Submission
- Fill in personal information
- Select Date of the Hearing: February 16
- Select the Committee: House Judiciary
- Choose the Bill: HB 346
- I am: A Member of the Public
- I’m Representing: Myself
- Indicate Your Position on this Bill: I OPPOSE this bill
- Click Submit
- Repeat these steps for HB 562 and HB 591
- Attend a State House visibility event:
- Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 8 am at the State House to support proactive legislation to protect abortion rights in New Hampshire. RSVP here.
- Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 8 am at the State House to oppose harmful legislation that would further restrict abortion rights in New Hampshire. RSVP here.
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